We wish all our Members a Happy and Peaceful 2011.
Thank you for your support the past year, we trust that you will continue to support us to enable us to continue with the important task of protecting our environment.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

World Wetlands Day

Thursday, 3 February 2011 @ 7.30 for
8.00pm

World Wetlands Day is on Wednesday
2nd February 2011 – this is the 40th
anniversary of the international
convention protecting wetlands of
international importance.

To commemorate World Wetlands Day,
Friends of Rietvlei will host an
evening talk on Thursday 3rd
February on the Ramsar Convention.

“Conserving our Wetlands – the
Ramsar Convention”

The speaker is Niel van Wyk who
served on the South African Ramsar
Committee for nearly 10 years and
represented South Africa at three
international meetings of the Ramsar
Convention.

Intaka Island is a wetland rich in
bird life that was created during
the development of Century City. It
is a prime example of how the
environment can be enhanced to
provide suitable habitat for many
species.

We have planned a walk there for
Sunday, 6 March 2011, and will be
meeting at the carpark at Intaka
Island at 15h00. The normal entry
fee of R8.00 per adult will be
charged for the walk.

PLEASE CONTACT Pauline on 083 255
2537 if you require further info on
the above events.

Environmental Calendar 2011

World Wetlands Day is the first
date on the 2011 Environmental
Calendar, the full calendar is:

World Wetlands Day

Wednesday

2 February

World Forestry Day

Monday

21 March

World Water Day

Tuesday

22 March

World Meteorological
Day

Wednesday

23 March

Earth Hour

Saturday

26 March

World Health Day

Thursday

7 April

Earth Day

Friday

22 April

International
Migratory Bird Day

Saturday

14 May

World Biodiversity
Day

Sunday

22 May

World Environment
Day

Sunday

5 June

World Oceans Day

Wednesday

8 June

World Day to Combat
Desertification and
Drought

Friday

17 June

World Population Day

Monday

11 July

National Arbor Month

September

World Ozone Day

Friday

16 September

World Tourism Day

Tuesday

27 September

World Habitat Day

Thursday

3 October

National Marine
Month

November

World Aids Day

Thursday

1 December

And did you know that 2011 is
International year of Forests?
Forests 2011 will focus on the
central role of people in the
management, conservation and
sustainable development of the
world’s forests.

Our 2011 expectations

What are our expectations for 2011? There are a
number of issues that have been carried over from
2010 where we sincerely hope to see progress in the
year ahead.

The Diep River Estuary Management Plan

Friends of Rietvlei expect to see that several of
the most important recommendations in the management
plan be implemented during the coming months. The
only obstacle is funding, and we have been working
hard to resolve the funding problems.

Most important is that the study into the hydrology
and geohydrology commence as soon as possible;
without results from this study effective management
decisions cannot be taken. We have already obtained
R100,000 from the Table Mountain Fund towards this
study, and we are now hoping that the City can
provide the remaining R205,000. Friends of Rietvlei
is also contributing R6,700 towards buying some of
the equipment required for the project.

Expansion and Upgrading of Wastewater Treatment
Infrastructure in the Blaauwberg Area.

The Minister of Local Government, Environment
Affairs and Development Planning must still rule on
our appeal against the Record of Decision to expand
Potsdam WWTW. Our grounds for the appeal was that
the EIR on which the decision was based did not
consider alternative options for discharging
effluent from Potsdam; the EIR merely stated that
the Diep River has sufficient capacity to absorb
additional discharge – this is contrary to the
recommendations of the Estuary Management Plan.

It is our opinion that, if the EIR is expanded to
include all possible alternatives, an acceptable
solution to the problem of increasing waste water
treatment requirements in the Blaauwberg area will
be found.

Rietvlei Wetland Reserve office building.

Planning for the long-awaited office building for
the Rietvlei management staff next to the MAC
clubhouse is nearly complete, we understand that
construction will start during February or early
March. The staff presently has to make do with
temporary structures, and the reserve manager has
his office in Milpark in Koeberg Road – not the
ideal way to manage a reserve effectively.

Although Koos Retief and his staff have been doing
an excellent job under difficult circumstances, we
are grateful that the City is providing the
management staff with the proper facilities from
which to manage this important nature reserve.